The Hon. (Dr.) Sandaruwan Madarasinghe

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the time to speak on the amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022. Many countries have advanced across space technology, computing, AI, and data science, culminating in digitalized economies — achievements built over decades of education policies aligned with global trends, not overnight.

¶ 02 What is our position? Our rulers failed to align development with future trends; we lagged while the world raced ahead. Other nations packed vast data into small software; our rulers built massive buildings to store data — which were then looted. Other nations taught computing and AI to children early; in Sri Lanka, even today less than half our schools have computing. Instead, we launched fireworks and satellites. To quote from a 2012 newspaper article headlined “I will be Sri Lanka’s first astronaut,” it detailed grandiose claims connected to private ventures — symptomatic of wasteful expenditure.

¶ 03 Since our Government took office, within six months we launched three flagship programmes: Clean Sri Lanka; eradicating rural poverty; and national digitalization — a core pillar from the outset.

¶ 04 We release our data in many ways — during hospitalization, via apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, or when engaging with public and private institutions, and at secure borders via biometric identification. The question is whether the security of such data is ensured. We have heard of unauthorized access, threats using stolen data, insider leaks, disabling of systems, and ransomware. This uncertainty deters people from embracing cyberspace. Therefore, bringing this Amendment is crucial at this juncture. Being first in South Asia is a landmark; it also resonates with EU data protection norms. The law will regulate and protect personal data of data subjects involved in transactions and communications, while facilitating innovation in a digital economy, and it introduces penalties for misuse. As Sri Lanka moves with global trends, this Act will be helpful.

¶ 05 The road to a Digital Sri Lanka is not easy: building a digital workforce and adopting AI are challenging; spreading computing among our children is hard. But our Government has accepted these challenges to improve lives, reduce inequalities, and foster sustainable development. This Act will assist us.

¶ 06 Thank you.